Milton Tennis Centre resumption moves forward

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and local Councillor Peter Matic today announced their plans to turn the old Milton Tennis Centre site into a massive suburban park had taken a major step forward.

The Lord Mayor confirmed Council had reached an agreement to resume the site at 315 Milton Road for park purposes with the owner of the site advising they had no intention of challenging the resumption.

“This is great news for the people of Brisbane as the 3.5 hectare site will provide a large, valuable area of green space for everyone to enjoy,” Cr Newman said.

“We will work with the community in 2011 to design the park and find the right balance between providing for sport and recreation and retaining open parkland for the future.”

Council issued a notice of intention to resume in October this year. The owner of the site (the Seymour Group) has advised they have no intention of challenging the resumption and the application to resume the site will now be sent to the State Government for gazettal.

Cr Newman said once the State Government formally ticks off on the resumption, Council will pay $22 million as an advance against compensation to the Seymour Group for the land with the final amount of compensation to be determined by the Land Court.

Council will begin talking to the community about what they want the park to look like early next year.

Council stepped in to purchase the site when a development application was lodged last December for 10 buildings of up to 20 storeys in height.

“This land is zoned for sport and recreational use and in line with our long-standing policy we will protect this land from development,” Cr Newman said.

“By resuming this site, we will protect both the area’s tin and timber from encroaching development and secure the liveability of our suburbs and city.

“As our city grows, we must have enough sport and recreation land to cater for the increased population and demand.”

Cr Newman said the Labor Opposition did not support his plan to save the old Milton Tennis Centre site from being turned into high rise development.

“Unlike Labor, we will not support any plan to carve up sport and park land for residential or commercial development now or in the future.”

The 35,071 square metre site, which has become an eyesore after being ravaged twice by fire since its closure in 1999 will be transformed into a massive public park, with facilities to be decided by the local community.

Community consultation will be undertaken in 2011 and a masterplan for the site will be prepared based on community feedback. Work is expected to begin on the site in early 2012.